The 2016 season transformed New York City into a sprawling open-air stage, with more than 1,000 free concerts taking place across 400 public spaces throughout the five boroughs. From dawn performances at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to sunset concerts along the Hudson River, musicians of all ages and backgrounds came together for a day that celebrated experimentation, participation, and the city’s extraordinary musical diversity. The year’s programming featured immersive installations, large-scale participatory works, and performances by internationally renowned artists alongside students, community ensembles, and everyday New Yorkers, including Glass on Water, Pier I’s waterfront presentation featuring Philip Glass and students from Mannes College: The New School for Music.

2016 Program Highlights Included: Inside the Bird Chorus, a dawn improvisation at Brooklyn Botanic Garden with musicians performing alongside wild birds • Shimmer, a mass cymbal performance at Madison Square Park led by Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ drummer Brian Chase with 16 volunteer performers • The Gauntlet, an immersive vocal “tent” on the High Line featuring 60 singers in musical dialogue with the public • Glass on Water, a sunset concert at Pier I featuring Philip Glass and 40 young pianists performing selections from the composer’s 20 Études • Guerrilla Fanfare, a processional performance at Battery Park by TILT Brass and Iktus Percussion set against city traffic • Music for Four Pianos, a four-hour marathon on Cornelia Street featuring works by John Cage and Philip Glass 

Press:“Variety and Verve at Make Music New York,”The New York Times, June 22, 2016.

View the full program here.